Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-08-18

How They are Brought 10 the Surface
Again.

who stood on tho front deck of the boat
and happened to look over toward the
New York shore rs the boats glided
out of the uoboken slips one morning
early in February last. Midway be-
tween Hoboken and New York two
masts ana smokestack were sticking
out of the water. Divers got their
chains under her, and soon she will be
ut the surface again.
| From the time she sunk until the
present time the Wells City and her
surroundings have been a source OF in-
terest to the thousands who daily cross
the river at that point. The spectacle
gradually became enlarged by accreton
as it were. On the morning OF Febru-
airy llth n large, healthy looking tug
boat was anchored little way below
the wreck, while clustered about the
wreck were several schooners with sail
less masts. But those who passed by
near enough could distinguish engines
and pumps coils Of cables and chains
and some diving apparatus. One day
the writer saw stalwart fellow in full
rig, except for his helmet, standing
pear the side of one Of the schooners.
The ferry-boat was long enough in pass
ing for the writer to see the helmet
placed over the divers head ard
screwed into what appeared brass
neck piece, and to see the diver 60 over
the schooner's side and disappear be-
meath the water like shot. At night
a warning light was rugged up on
small craft which was anchored near
the wreck, and the tug-boat towed the
Schooners away.
\ few weeks ago number of objects
which looked like square floating boxes
were seen on either side of the wreck,
and the schooners were observed moor
ed OIL the outer sides of the boxes.
| There was vast deal Of putting from
the engines on the schooners, much
hoisting of cables and clanking of
chains. Next it was noticed that the
| boxes which had been floating high out
of water had been sunk To level with
it, The tug, which had not been seen
since it had towed the boxes into posi-
ton, was back again and lying to near
the wreck with steam up as though IN
readiness for action at moments no.
| tice. Then there was a great noise of
punging, and the boxes which in the
morning had been almost submerged
were seen in the evening to haYe risen
somewhat, and water was rushing out
of them. 1t was general talk among
the ferry passengers that in crossing
the next morning they would see part
of the Wells City above water. But
| they didn't. The boxes were again
floating high out of water, the conglo-
meration of mastS, engines and chains
was still there, and the steamer appa-
rently was still stuck in Yankee mud.
AS matter of fact, there has been
no attempt to hoist her. You might
hoist little boat of two hundred tons
with couple of derrlcks, but large
wreck can't be hoisted, and the Wells
City being a ship of 1000 tons is large
wreck. In fact, it is the largest wreck
| ing Job ever known in the vicinity of
! New York, exceeding IN difficulty even
| the work connected with the raising of
the LorntY, which was cut down in coll
lision near Governors Island some
years ago. If the Wells City had been
lying in nice quiet spot it might not
have been very difficult matter, from
the point of view of an expert wrecking
| concern, to coffer-dam her, pump the
water out of her, make her tight and
float her. But she lies with her broad
side against the terrific tide that
sweeps up and down the river, and ut q
point where the water is also in u con-
stant state of agitation from the swish
swash of tugs, steamboats, and ferry
boats. 1t would have been so expensive
to coffer-dam her under such unfavor-
able conditions that the cost of floating
her would have exceeded her value.
Pontoons alone were practicable In
such case. The square boxes were
pontoons. The work preliminary to
the appearance of the pontoons upon
the scene consisted in Tightening the
wreck by getting her cargo out. Dryers
were employed for this purpose. Owing
to the strong tide they could work only
about quarter of the time they might
have labored had the vessel laid in a
more favorable position. They were
limited to the hour or two of slack wa
ter. Then, too, the water is very dirty
there, owing to the sewerage discharged
into the river and the refuse from ships.
in fact, the divers had to work practi-
cally in the dark and entirely by their
sense of touch, cropping their way about
the hold and adjusting the grips to the
thu blocks that composed the cargo, ev-
er on the alert for the signal that would
recall them before the tide began to
rush in or out with such force that
there was danger of the life line and
air hose swapping. The clearing away
of the wreck of the canal boat and the
dying for the broken smoke stack and
mast occasioned also delay Of several
weeks.
When, however, the pontoons APP
peared some weeks ago the cargo was
out of the Wells City, and it was then
time to go to work to actually raise her.
The method of procedure was then as
follows
The pontoons were moored in rows,
one on either side of the wreck like
huge cork life preservers. The next
step was to get huge chains, two